Brave Little Soldier
by ViolentWatermelon
Summary: All Tord wanted to do was get his robot...but then someone else managed to control him. Now not only has he lost his best friends, but he's in more trouble than he should be. All hope is lost...Then he meets a little girl named Ivy, who is capable of much more than she looks...
1. Chapter 1

It was just a regular day at the park. There were kids running around and shouting, and adults stood around talking. Edd was looking for an empty bench to sit at to draw. The weather was just perfect, and he decided to draw outside, and on paper rather than the tablet.  
Finally he found a bench underneath a tree. There was no-one around but a little girl sitting on the grass a few feet away, playing with an Elsa doll. Her bunny ear hood was up, and a small backpack sat next to her. Noticing him, she looked up and smiled shyly. Edd smiled back at her, and wondered about using her as a subject for a warmup.  
He sat down and began to sketch her small form, shading her in properly. He drew for a long time, until he finally heard:  
"Ouch! Stop that!" Looking up, he was horrified at what he saw. A little boy, slightly older and bigger than doll girl, towered over the girl with the Elsa doll, who had been his drawing subject. He was kicking the doll girl repeatedly, who shielded herself as well as she could as she stood up and, with one swipe of her head, shook off her hood. She placed one hand on her hip sassily.  
"Stop using me to feel good about yourself! Why don't you go play with the Barbies you have hidden under your bed, you big wussy boy?!" She sneered at him. He responded by pushing her to the ground and pinning her down, punching her repeatedly. She was sobbing with pain and terror now. Edd was horrified.  
"HEY! STOP IT!" He pulled them apart, but right before he did so the boy managed to kick her in the forehead. The little girl let out a sob.  
"GO AWAY, YOU LITTLE BRAT!" He screamed. The boy ran off. He crouched down to the little girl's height. He felt his heart break as she picked up her doll, whose head had been popped off during all the commotion, and wept harder.  
"Hey, it's okay, honey! Here," He gently took the doll from her and popped its head back on. "She's okay now. See?" He held it out to her, smiling. She stopped crying, and just stared at him, eyes wide. Finally, she whispered,  
"Are you a magician?"  
He was taken aback by this. "I'm sorry?"  
"How'd you do that? Are you a magician?" She asked in wonder, staring at her Elsa doll. "She's thanking you. She thinks you're really awesome."  
He laughed. "Well, so's she! And no problem, Elsa!" He patted the doll's head gently. "And about the magician thing, no. It just takes practice. Where are your parents? They should know about this."  
"They're at home…wait, what time is it?"  
He took out his phone and checked, before telling her.  
"I need to go brush my hair. I need to meet a friend later, and it's really important. Thanks for helping us!" She picked up her backpack and waved at him as she headed off. He waved back, not ever suspecting that her friend also had connections to him, too.


	2. Chapter 2

"Sir, some kid wants to see you. Says she has info."  
Tord looked up from his papers to see Paul standing there, cigarette in his mouth as usual. Tord's inhaled the smoky smell that accompanied Paul everywhere, the nicotine calming his headache a bit.  
"Send her in." He ordered.  
A small girl came in, accompanied by Patryk. Tord had to lower his eyes far down from Patryk's face to see hers. She was about two and a half feet tall, maybe even less. Her short blonde hair had a red ribbon tied in it as a headband, and the ends of her hair curled outward, along with her bangs sticking upward. She was wearing a pastel red hoodie dress and denim shorts, with white frilly socks and Mary Jane shoes. A backpack was slung over her shoulder, and her grey eyes sparkled nervously. She held a small stack of paper in one hand. She was obviously quite young, however, nothing about her was childlike at all, from her skinniness to her serious expression, to the bags under her large eyes. Tord felt a pang seeing her…he needed to stop this. He needed to make it stop soon.  
"You're both dismissed." He told Patryk and Paul. They left the room as ordered, and he and the girl were alone.  
"So, what is it that you have? What are those?" He tried to sound patient, but his voice was still laced with sharpness, which he tried to hide.  
She stepped up to his desk nervously, not even being tall enough to look over the top of it—she had to stand on her tiptoes. She slid the papers across to him. "Here you are. Don't ask how I got these….I thought these might be of some use to you." She whispered to him. Her voice was thin and raspy, as though she hadn't used it in a long time.  
He looked them over. There was a diagram of a device, with the words 'The Messenger' written at the top. Various notes were scribbled across parts of the paper, along with the other papers. But it wasn't quite clear, much to his chagrin. There were no clues on how to disable the damned thing.  
"I hope they prove to be useful. I'll be on my way, then…bye…" She turned to leave. He looked up.  
"Wait."  
She turned around, confusion and fear evident on her face. "What's the matter?" She asked, her eyes wide. She looked as though she were prepared to make a run for it.  
"Stay for a bit. Would you like some tea, or hot chocolate perhaps? It's cold out tonight." He told her. He made sure to keep his voice soft this time so as not to scare her, almost surprised at his own concern. Though, after all, she was a child. "Come along, let's sit by the fire."  
She followed him to the other side of the room, where two armchairs and a table sat by the fire. Upon the table were two teacups and a small pot, which Tord hung over the fire.  
The girl climbed into one of the chairs with some difficulty, before tucking her feet behind her and leaning back, sighing wearily as though she had just climbed a mountain.  
"So, what's your name?" Asked Tord, sitting across from her. She remained silent, looking a bit nervous when she was asked this.  
"Pippi Longstocking." She finally told him, confidently.  
"That's a name from a book. Your real name, please."  
"Jane Eyre." She examined her nails nonchalantly. Tord sighed, irritated. This kid was trying him.  
"One more time. And if I hear the name of another literary character, so help me." He told her firmly.  
She shrank back, covering herself with her arms. "Sworry, sir. My name's Ivy." She whispered in fear, looking like she might cry. Tord's heart shattered into a million pieces, all traces of annoyance gone. He leaned across to her and slipped two fingers under her chin, lifting her face up to look at him.  
"Kid, don't be afraid. I wasn't gonna hurt you. Why would I harm a child?" He asked gently.  
She shrugged. "I dunno. Some people do." She murmured, staring at the ground. A shadow seemed to have crossed her face as she said this, and Tord felt even worse thinking about what she could have been through. What had happened to her?  
"Don't worry. I have a nice life. Everything's fine at home," She smiled reassuringly, probably catching the look in his eyes.  
He took the kettle off the fire and poured her some hot chocolate. She smiled a little and thanked him, before slowly taking some sips of it.  
They both drank in silence for a while, before Ivy finally said, "Thanks again. I need to go now, though. Bye." She slipped down from the chair, turning to leave the room.  
"Not so fast. I'm walking you home." He told her.  
"I can manage,"  
"You're way too young to be out by yourself. And it's late. Do your parents even know you're here? No, don't tell me. You snuck out." He adopted a bit of a stern tone when he said the last part without realizing it. "Never mind. I can explain to your parents. It's the least I can do in exchange for those blueprints."  
"All right then, sir…" She squeaked nervously, looking at the ground. He patted her reassuringly, and she relaxed a little.  
They walked side by side, Ivy staying very close to Tord. She wished she could snuggle into his side and feel protected, but she couldn't. She had to protect herself now. She was on her own.  
She led the way, piecing together a plan in her mind as she did so. She didn't want him to know that she was an orphan, because grown-ups always sent orphans to orphanages, and she had read enough books to know it wouldn't be nice at all.  
"Dat way!" She pointed to an apartment building, and they went inside.  
Suddenly, there was a vibration from Tord's pocket and his phone began to ring.  
"Oh, God…" He sighed to himself, irritated, as he took it out and answered it. "Patryk, what is it? I'm a bit…okay. Just handle it as well as you can for now, I'll be there ASAP." As he talked on the phone, he took out a notepad and paper and scribbled something down, before ripping it out and handing it to Ivy. "Here, this is for your parents. It explains everything. I wish you all the best, kiddo." He ruffled her hair before turning on his heels and rushing away.  
The truth was, Ivy had no parents to give it to. But rather than throwing it out, she shoved it into her backpack, in the secret pocket where she also kept a pendant that her late mother had given her. When she was sure the coast was clear, she left the building, heading towards the library.


	3. Chapter 3

Tord pulled his hat over his head, hoping that nobody would recognize him. It was nighttime, but there was still the risk. His heart began to pound when he noticed three people across the street, standing around and talking. He recognized their voices as he choked up, for the first time realizing that they were wearing green, blue, and purple hoodies.  
"Hey, what's that guy doing just standing over there?"  
Edd pointed at him. Directly at him. He would recognize him soon. He moved to turn away, but soon heard Tom's voice:  
"IT'S THAT RED SON OF A B-"  
Tord turned to run, but someone grabbed him, trapping him. He held his breath as Tom raised his fist.  
" _This is for the house!_ "  
"TOM, STOP! LET GO OF HIM!" That was Edd.  
Tom was pulled away from Tord, who stood there panting as Tom struggled to break free from Edd's grip, his eyes white with fury. Tord realized, with a chill, that his hat had fallen off. He searched for it frantically, hoping he hadn't been found. His worst fears were confirmed when he heard a beeping noise coming from a nearby lamppost.  
 _Beep…beep…beep…beep…beepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeep…_  
Tord jumped out of the way right before a laser shot out of the lamppost and zapped the spot he had been standing in.  
"RUN, YOU GUYS!" He screamed without thinking.  
They ran into a nearby library, which was empty. Hiding behind a bookshelf, they all stood, panting. They weren't entirely alone, though.  
Ivy had been looking for a particular book on the top shelf, but had fallen asleep. She was in the middle of a strange dream about an empty room when she heard the door bang shut. She was little enough to climb up onto the top shelves and sit or lay on them, which was what she was doing at the moment. She hid between two rows of books, and was just able to see four men. She held in a gasp when she recognized Red Leader himself among them.  
They were busy recovering from what had just happened.  
"So, what _was_ that?" Asked Matt.  
"It's a long story. Now's not the time-"  
Ivy shifted in her hiding place, knocking over the row of books behind her. Startled, she lost her balance and went tumbling down after them  
The four men froze when they heard the sound. Matt screamed and jumped into Tom's arms, and Edd armed himself with a large book. Tord pulled out a gun, edging over to where the sound came from. He was shocked at what he saw. A pile of books lay on the floor, evidently having fallen from a shelf. Sitting on top of them was a familiar small figure with blonde hair, staring up at them with terror.  
"Holy formaldehyde on a ferret!" Exclaimed Tom. Matt just stood there, eyes wide with disbelief.  
The other two didn't know what to think, but Tord and Edd recognized her.  
"Ivy?!" Tord blurted out, confused as to why she was here.  
She relaxed just a tiny bit seeing Tord. "Yes, it's me. Why are you here?" She asked nervously, choking up.  
"You KNOW her?!" Asked Matt.  
"What's a kid doing here?"  
"Go find your parents, it's late!"  
All the commotion caused Ivy to slowly shrink into a corner, her eyes widening to the size of records as she stared at them, frightened. Tord put the gun away, grateful that he hadn't shot the little girl on impulse without meaning to. He sat on the floor next to her.  
"We just needed a place to think. The real question is, why are YOU here?" He asked her, adopting a stern but still gentle tone, seeing that she was still nervous. She frowned, visibly trying to come up with an excuse.  
Tord wanted to slap himself. It was obvious. How could he not have realized it?  
"Kid, you ran away, didn't you?" He asked her.  
She swallowed nervously, tensing up. "I don't wanna talk about it. But WHAT IS YOUR PLAN?! PLEASE. TELL ME YOU HAVE A PLAN, PLEASE." She seemed like she was on the verge of a crying tantrum. Her brow furrowed, and her large eyes glittered with desperate sadness.  
He sighed. "We're trying to think of one. Don't worry. This'll come to an end." He told her.  
"What kind of a plan? We don't even know what's happening!"  
"Yeah. We need an explanation." Tom folded his arms and narrowed his eye sockets at Tord.  
Tord looked at the ground and sighed sadly, trying to resist the urge to cry. "All that wasn't me…I wasn't trying to hurt anyone. All I wanted to do was get my robot. I'm not the one who's trying to take over the world. It's someone else, he's using mind control…" A frightened look crossed his face, and he took a deep breath in an attempt to calm down.  
Ivy shuddered, wrapping her arms around herself as though she were cold. Tord patted her head.  
"There, there, now..." He told her, then turned back to the guys. "He'll destroy our planet if we let him. He's already killed people before, and he's been controlling people's minds with something called…." He looked around, before whispering: " _The Messenger_."  
"So, who is this guy? What are you trying to do?"  
"Stop him…and nobody uses his real name. He's just known as…" He looked around, then lowered his voice to a whisper. " _Black Leader_."  
Ivy let out a sob and covered her ears. "Don't say his name!" She wailed, curling into a ball. Tord crouched down and hugged her. "There, there, Ivy. We'll get through it, don't worry." He told her softly, as she covered her face with her arms, whimpering.  
"Don't ever say that name again, ever!" She whimpered as Tord drew her to his chest.  
"Aww….Looks like Tordy has a soft side to him. What's next, lullabies and bedtime stories?" Taunted Tom with a smirk. Tord almost retaliated, but Ivy spoke first.  
"Shut the fuck up! At least he's being nice, unlike you!" She stuck her tongue out at him.  
"So, wait. What does Ivy have to do with it all?" Asked Edd.  
" _I don't wanna talk about it!_ " Whimpered Ivy, burying her face in Tord's shoulder. He hugged her close, almost unconsciously. The other guys were still quite shocked to see this side of him in a way, but guessed it had to do with their shared situation.  
"I think her parents had something to do with him at some point, and she was involved. And I also told you about The Messenger. He's taking over the world right as we speak. Isis, the Taliban…it's all him!"  
"JUST STOP TALKING, FOR FUCK'S SAKE!" Growled Ivy, covering her ears. "AARGH." She looked as though she might start to cry, or even burst into a screaming fit.  
"Sorry, kid." Tord stood up and patted her shoulder. "I didn't want to tell you guys, but…." He sighed. "C'mon, Ivy, you can stay with me. Nice seeing you guys."  
"Wait!" Edd cried, before they could leave. They turned around, surprised. "We can help! Tom still has his harpoon gun, and, and the more the better, right?"  
Ivy sniffled a bit, before looking up at Edd and smiling. "What do you say?" She asked, looking over at Tord.  
He shrugged. "Fine. But you have to listen to me. I'm the commander. The boss. Got that?"  
"Yessir!" She said quickly. She rummaged in her pocket for something. To her dismay, her pockets were empty.  
"Awe, goddamn it!" She whined, frowning. "This had better come to an end soon. I'm not gonna live off cigarettes for the rest of my life. In fact, I just ran out." She folded her arms poutily, glaring at the ground.  
" _Cigarettes?!_ " Edd asked, horrified.  
"Yeah. That's what I said." She told him, like it was perfectly normal.  
"But…what are you, FIVE?!"  
"All right, kid, you're coming to live with me, at least for the time being. No complaints." Tord told her firmly.  
She rolled her eyes.  
" _Ah, I would have accepted anyway!_  
 _Though I really sort of wanted to stay,_  
 _I always liked to read books every day._  
 _And don't tell me what to do, I'll still complain!_  
 _I'll complain until your poor brain is in pain,_  
 _Till I'm certain we'll his evil reign_!" She recited. She gave him the stink eye, her arms still folded. They were all quite bemused by this action.  
Tord didn't know why, but he kind of liked her more now, after hearing that poem. He liked poetry too, but he never really told anyone. Most people thought it was a girly thing, despite a lot of poets being men.  
"Oo-kay…?"  
"Sure, kid. Hopefully that'll be soon. And nobody's brain will need to be in pain. There'll be no need to complain." Tom laughed dryly, despite himself, and she smiled a little as well.  
"Anyway, let's go. And about the books, I have a library. Read as much as you feel like when we get there." Tord told her.  
"Coolio. Hang on." She slung her pink backpack over her shoulder, containing everything she owned, which wasn't much.  
"Right. If anyone asks, we're just…we're a father and daughter, and these are my friends." Tord told her, grabbing her hand.  
"Whatever. Now let go of me." She yanked her hand away from him. "Can we just go and get it over with? I hate to go outside."  
"Why's that?"  
"Because, outside is where there are bad things the evil people are! Like _him_!" She explained, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.  
"I can carry you if it makes you feel better." Offered Matt, who really did want to hold her. She was just so cute!  
"Walking's fine." She insisted. She really would have loved to be held and protected, the way her mother used to do to her, but she also wanted to avoid it as much as possible. She was confused about these mixed feelings.


	4. Chapter 4

"Right, we're here!" Tord opened the door to his house. It was a large house, especially for just one person. The living room had all sorts of comfy couches, and Ivy climbed into one.  
"Ahh. Soft!" She commented.  
"Yes, they are. So, guys, right, so we need to—ah," Tord saw that Ivy had fallen asleep on the couch, her thumb in her mouth. "We should probably all go to bed. It's late. You guys can stay over, it'll be more practical. And I have a security system…"  
Tord's house was huge, so there was no shortage of rooms. Ivy was carried to a guest room, and each of the other three got their own rooms, as well. They all tried to sleep, and eventually, everyone fell asleep, though most of them tossed and turned uneasily. This included Matt, who awoke from a nightmare and whose first instinct was to head to the kitchen for a glass of warm milk. He was surprised to find that he had company.  
Ivy's legs dangled from the chair she was perched on, and a half-finished glass of water sat next to her, but which she ignored for the time being as she sat seemingly thinking, her elbow on the table and her face resting in her hand. She played with something with her other hand, but Matt couldn't see what it was. She smiled when she saw him but he could tell it wasn't a real smile.  
"Hey, Matt. You couldn't sleep either?"  
"Yep…did you have a nightmare?"  
"Sort of. I couldn't go back to sleep, so I came here. Was it the same with you?"  
"Nah, my room was too cold. You wanna talk about your dream?" he asked her gently.  
She sighed. "It had… _him_ in it. You know…you know who I'm talking about, right?"  
Matt nodded, knowing that she meant Black Leader.  
"Red Leader was dead, and my Mommy too. He'd killed them…and I dreamed he killed my Daddy, too, though I've never seen him. He left before I was born, because he had to. Mommy said he was nice...that is, before she died. But I'm worried he might be dead too…or that he doesn't want me…" She grew quiet.

"Well, if he really doesn't, he's an idiot." Matt said as he poured himself some milk. "You're not a bad kid." He ruffled her hair, causing her to smile— _really_ smile, though it was small.  
"Well, thank you, Matt. I feel much better. I think I'll go read in bed for awhile. Good night!" She slipped down from her chair and left the room.


	5. Chapter 5

The next day was stormy. The windows wept with rain, and the thunder shook the house. The five of them ate breakfast, before the four guys retreated to Tord's study to come up with a plan. Ivy, meanwhile, was working on a plan of her own. She _knew_ she could make it stop, and she had to try. She could figure it out. Her mother had once told her that she could do anything if she put her mind to it, and this became her motto. In the middle of her planning, she got caught in a rut. She wondered if the guys were doing any better…  
All four of the guys had headaches. They had been trying to think for hours and hours, and none of them could agree on anything. Tom and Edd were in a heated argument about the harpoon gun, and Matt was distracted by how reflective the polished table was.

Suddenly, all of them heard a band. Turning to look, they saw that the door had opened to reveal…nothing? They wondered if it had been a strong gust of wind, then thought to look down. There was Ivy, standing there coolly. "You guys think of anything yet?"  
Edd sighed. "No, kid. We didn't."  
Ivy rolled her eyes, sighing dramatically. "Nothing at all? Really? You're all idiots! I'm not leaving here till you come up with something!"  
"Young lady…" Tord began, but then sighed. Ivy climbed into an armchair. "Anyway, lets continue. Ivy can stay as long as she doesn't disrupt anything."  
Her presence was barely noticeable at all, and they guys were able to talk about plans. Tom was fighting with Edd about the harpoon gun again. Tord and Matt were trying to break them up. Eventually, everything calmed down. During the fight, Ivy had composed a poem called 'The four idiots who couldn't come up with a plan'—it was about four bossy ogres who licked out toilet bowls and ate pond scum. Their names were Elwin, Mattie, Tim, and Toad-It was obvious who they really were supposed to be. She recited it to the four of them, not caring what any of them thought.  
"Nice poem, kid…now, anyway…I'm not sure if any of this will work. It could happen any second. He'll use the machine to take over the world and destroy it. I actually managed to build a device that detects the signals." He strode up to a table, upon which sat a machine that looked like an old radio.  
"Let me show you…" He fiddled with the dials a little, and a muffled, distant voice became audible, chilling them all to the bone:  
' _All hope is lost…shed more blood…the end is near…Bow down to Black Leader_ '  
At this last part, there was a loud sob from Ivy. "TURN IT OFF, PLEASE, JUST TURN IT OFF!"  
They were alarmed at her outburst, and Tord immediately did as she requested so as not to further upset her.  
"Kid…why do you get so upset? What happened to you?" He asked her gently. He really did want to know, and besides, she might have wanted to get it off her chest. To everyone's shock, Ivy burst into tears and fled.  
"Ivy! Wait! Come back!" Tord yelled, though inside he knew it was pointless.  
The front door slammed, echoing throughout the whole house.  
"Oh my God…" He turned to his friends. "Stay. I'm going after her. Try and think, and for heaven's sake, nothing stupid." Tord threw on his overcoat and ran to the front door, and the guys heard it slam a second time as he left to look for Ivy.


	6. Chapter 6

Tord was running all around the neighborhood, screaming Ivy's name at the top of his lungs, hoping that she was all right.  
The rain grew heavier and heavier. He hoped Ivy was safe, wherever she was. He would never forgive himself if anything were to happen to her.  
"IVY, COME ON! PLEASE!"  
Through the rain, he thought he could see a small form crouched on the floor in an alleyway.  
He crept closer, and he saw that it was indeed Ivy, knees drawn to her chest. Her head was bowed down and she shook with sobs.  
"Ivy! What're you doing out here? It's late, and it's raining!"  
She looked up, her face stained with tears. Her eyes were red from crying, and her nose was running. Not knowing what to think, she shrank back and covered her face with her arms. Tord felt a pang. He couldn't help but feel bad for the little girl. He crouched down next to her rubbing her tears away with his thumb. She turned her face away and wiped her nose with her sleeve, hiccupping a little. She then curled up a bit tighter.  
"Ivy, it's okay. I know how you feel. Black Leader kept me prisoner, and he did all sorts of things to me. I understand it must be hard for you to deal, and I'm sorry about that. Do you want to talk about it?" He asked gently. She shook her head no. Tord sighed sadly, trying to make it inaudible.  
"Why don't we go back to the house? It's freezing out here. Come on. You'll catch your death out here. It's cold, and it's raining."  
"No shit, Sherlock." She leaned against the brick wall of the alleyway, her head tilting back wearily. "You go. I'll catch up to you later."  
"I'm not leaving you alone." He told her. She crossed her arms and raised her eyebrow, giving him her best 'Are you kidding me' look.  
"Geesh, give me a break, will ya? My legs are shorter than yours. I get tired easily." She whined, frowning at him.  
"I'll carry you." Tord told her. He lifted her up and wrapped the folds of his overcoat around her, almost surprised at his own actions. Ivy herself was so taken aback and overwhelmed with emotion that she began to cry again. Nobody had done that to her for ages now, not since her mother had died…her mother…she wanted her mother. She felt herself being shifted around in his arms.  
"Ivy, what's wrong?" Tord asked her gently, holding her so she could see him properly.  
There were a thousand things she could say at that moment. She was scared, she missed her mom…but instead, she just choked out:  
"I…I don't know!"  
Tord felt bad for her. She was a nice kid, but she had been through way too much. She shouldn't be on the verge of breakdown like this, she should be happy and be able to play like any other little girl. Instead, she was miserable and alone, thanks to Black Leader.  
"Shh-hh-hh….Ivy, calm down, darling…everything's gonna be just fine…" He told her, bouncing her on his hip gently. He tried to sound sure as he said this. "Shh, shh, shh…"  
She continued crying, unable to stop. "You're lying! I can feel it…you don't have to…we're all doomed! He's gonna…" This was interrupted by a sob. She continued bawling hysterically into his hoodie, shaking with sobs and clinging to him. Tord could tell that she was unable to stop. He wasn't sure of what to do, so he continued bouncing her on his hip and shushing her. This calmed her down a little, but she was still in tears.  
Tord suddenly remembered a Norwegian lullaby from his childhood that used to calm him down when he was upset, and he began to sing it to her softly. She didn't know what he was singing, since she couldn't understand the words, but it was pretty. She calmed down quickly, listening to his voice and feeling his chest vibrate as he sang.  
By the time the song was over, Ivy's crying had reduced to soft hiccups. Tord rubbed her back and shushed her gently, and it became easier for her to breathe.  
"Deep breaths, that's right, _min tapre lille soldat_." He cooed to her, unaware of his slipup.  
"Huh?" She looked up at him, curiosity showing on her face, which was still tearstained.  
Tord mentally facepalmed at his slip-up. "Sorry. English isn't my first language, and I sometimes slip back to Norwegian without meaning to. I meant to say, 'My brave little soldier'. But it came out in Norwegian."  
"Brave little soldier?" She asked, her eyes wide. They were still red from crying.  
"Sorry…it was meant to be a term of endearment. I won't call you that if you don't like it." She didn't look like she thought it was dumb—in fact, she looked flattered.  
"No, call me that as much as you feel like. It's cool." She told him, leaning against his chest. "Though no offence, but I'm not very brave." She snuggled close to him, hugging him with her skinny arms.  
He chuckled at this. She really _was_ a brave kid—she coped surprisingly well for what she had been through. "You're my brave little soldier, whether you like it or not. End of story." He tousled her ashy blonde hair, and she laughed weakly, but this was interrupted by a hiccup.  
"Well, thanks…" She told him. "Sorry for freaking out. I just really hate to think about it. It makes me feel bad every time I do." Her chin quivered, and her eyes filled with tears. She hugged him, burying her face in his chest. She obviously hadn't been hugged in a very long time.  
He sighed, hugging her a bit closer to him like she was a teddy bear of some sort. She didn't mind this at all, since she was feeling very upset and scared. She needed to be hugged right then.  
"Me too, kid…me too. I'm so sorry you had to go through that. You're much too young for any of that. And you're a sweet girl, you don't deserve to be treated like that. I've been there, but…you're probably really traumatized." She was probably much more traumatized than he was, just being an innocent little kid whose carefree naivety was shattered into a million pieces much too early.  
He cradled her close to him, making sure she was warm and safe in his arms. It was still cold, but she hardly felt it now, being held against Tord's warm chest.


	7. Chapter 7

SLAM.  
"Tord? Ivy? Is that you?" Called Edd.  
"No, it's the King of France. Who do ya think?" That was Ivy's voice, overflowing with sarcasm.  
"Don't lie, my dear. He ought to know the truth. It's Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson!" That was Tord, a hint of a laugh in his voice.  
The gang went downstairs to find Tord and Ivy both standing in the living room in front of the fire, warming themselves up after being in the cold rain. Ivy's face still was tearstained, though she looked a bit better.  
"I sort of…uh, drank all your cola while Matt stress ate all your pie. Sorry," Edd smiled apologetically.  
Ivy's eyes widened. _Pie…_  
"No, I don't mind it at all. I can—hey, um, Ivy, where are you going?"  
"Nowhere, just to my room! I gotta get something!" Called Ivy as she ran upstairs.  
She came back down, holding some papers and a pencil. Scribbling rapidly, she kept talking to herself:  
"So if we multiply it by itself, then multiply the result by three, there are…then if I find the means…let me think….yes…yes…so that means….the square root of that divided by pi again, that would be ….so then…1/8 multiplied by…YES!" She shrieked, leaping into the air. "Tord, look! We have hope! There's a chance!" She shrieked, shoving the papers into his hands. He took them and read them in disbelief. All of them were filled with math problems. They were complicated, but he understood them. There was a chance. These said so, and to Tord, it seemed likely.  
He looked up. "This could just work, kid. This could work!" He told her, grinning.  
Ivy beamed with pride, looking at her feet and blushing madly. Red Leader had said it was good! Red Leader himself!  
"Okay, so what do you think it might be?" He sat down in an armchair, as did the others, who didn't know what to think.  
Ivy leapt onto a chair, standing on it to appear taller.  
"So, there have been other evil dictators in history, right? And they all want one thing, they all have one thing in common! They want power, and if their power is taken away, they're nothing! Black Leader has all sorts of things, but above all, is his ability to control minds! If we find the source of that and eliminate it, it'll be easier to defeat him! And I think I know how!" She clapped her hands gleefully.  
They all stared at her in disbelief, and Tord was grinning. "So all we need to do is find The Messenger and disable it then! I'm pretty sure I can find a way, if it really is some kind of machine."  
Ivy held up her hand. "I don't think it's a normal machine. Mind control, remember? We need to fight fire with fire. Come on! I think I know what to do. I might need you guys' help though."


	8. Chapter 8

Soon all of them had snuck into the lair, and Ivy told them what do.  
"All right. Matt, hide in the kitchen cabinet to the left of the door. Edd, you look about the right weight to hide in the chandelier in his office. There's a secret door leading to it, right over there. Tom, you take the white cabinet in the laboratory. Tord, you use the memory eraser gun on the guards, then hide. And if you hear him, hide in the secret gun cabinet behind the white bookcase. The code's 1971. I'll take care of the rest."  
With that, Ivy climbed up a large bookcase and removed the ceiling vent covering before slipping inside with unbelievable dexterity. She quietly replaced the vent, and then disappeared.  
Tord found the lab with ease, chills running down his spine. One guard was looking at his phone, and the other was sleeping, so he just snuck past them into the lab, not bothering to erase their memories or fight them, for that would be too much trouble.  
The walls and floor shone like polished ivory, and there were test tubes of all sorts of concoctions lying around. He cringed when he saw some new syringes still in their packets, remembering all the stuff that was done to him when he was here.  
There was a clinging noise from somewhere above, and Ivy emerged from the ceiling vent, slowly lowering herself with some rope before quietly jumping down and winding up the rope.  
"How did you do that?" Whispered Tord.  
"I'm short and flexible." She said flatly. "Now…could it be?" She looked around, and her eyes fell on a device that reassembled an old computer with a helmet next to it.  
"Help me! Come on!" She whispered to Tord as she began removing a small metal cover on the side of the device.  
Both Ivy and Tord knelt down to see inside, and Tord's face fell at what he saw. There was a jumble of blue, yellow, and green wires. He knew what that meant.  
"Ivy, this can't be disabled. These are trick wires, and some of these might-"  
He was interrupted by the sound of footsteps coming down the hall. Ivy's eyes widened.  
"Hide! Hurry!"  
"But where are you-"  
"Never mind! Hide!" Ivy pointed to a white cabinet. But it was too late—a tall, muscular figure loomed in the doorway of the laboratory, grinning maliciously.  
"So, you're both back! What're you trying to do, disable my machine?! Hah! It can NEVER be taken apart!" He went up and punched Tord's face.  
Tord saw stars. Everything else was a blur. He could hear Ivy wailing, "TORD! NO!" But she was interrupted by a THUD, and then, "Silence, brat!"  
Black Leader quickly bound Tord's wrists together with glowing blue handcuffs, then his ankles. Ivy attempted to get away, but he grabbed her and bound her up as well. Black Leader didn't even bother to gag them, since they were both silent.  
Black Leader towered over Ivy, making her look smaller than ever. But that didn't shake Ivy's courage one bit as sparks of hatred began to show in her eyes.  
"How dare you come back, you horrible little bitch?! YOU'RE WORSE THAN YOUR MOTHER!"  
He kicked her in the stomach, and she let out a shriek of alarm and pain. Tord felt rage burning inside him. Ivy was just a kid!  
" _STOP IT, YOU SICK SON OF A_ -"  
But he was already raining blows onto the little girl, kicking and punching her like his life depended on it. The look on her face remained hateful and defiant, though now there was some pain etched in.  
Tord screamed more insults at Black Leader, desperately trying to break free from the handcuffs. Finally Black Leader tired of beating the dead weight that was Ivy, and stood back, watching her whimper in pain. Through gritted teeth, she managed to snarl out just a few words that summed up what Tord was also thinking, but without the cursing:  
" _You're the worst human being on the planet!_ "  
He smirked, then walked over to The Messenger and placing the helmet on his head.  
"Oh, really? Now, child, tell me whose side you're really on. Say that Red Leader and his army are pathetic. Say I'm your master." He smirked and licked his lips.  
"I'll never tell you!" She told him defiantly through gritted teeth.  
A horrible grin spread across Black Leader's face.  
"You might not…but I'll make you, you little brat!"  
He went over to the device and placed the helmet onto his head. The lights dimmed, and his whole body seemed to glow. Ivy stayed put, her head slightly tilted to one side, looking at him with more hatred in her face than Tord could ever even imagine anyone felt.  
The Messenger began to tremble. Ivy began to look a bit sick, but retained her confident posture and her hateful look. Her hands flew to her head as though she was in pain. Tord knew she was in excruciating pain, from experience with the Messenger himself. By that time he would usually have given in. But Ivy was determined. She focused all her energy on resisting, and thought about everyone else.  
 _I'll complain until your brain is in pain!_ She thought defiantly, screaming in her mind.  
 _You can do anything if you put your mind to it!_ That was her mother. Ivy's brain felt as though it was twisted into a knot, but she continued.  
 _These papers could be of some use._ Tord. She had to fight, for Tord and for everyone else. She continued resisting, though she was slowly growing weak.  
 _Holy formaldehyde on a ferret!_ That was Tom. Yes, Tom. He needed to live. He was nice.  
 _Ooh, it's so reflective!_ Matt…she thought about him, too.  
 _I sort of drank all your Cola…_  
She fought hard against The Messenger as she thought about everyone else, almost being able to hear their voices in her head. Tord. Tom. Edd. Matt…and her mother, yes, her dear mother! She would have wanted this!  
"TELL ME, YOU BRAT!" By now all the lights had gone out.  
Tord saw Matt, Tom, and Edd peer into the room. They must have done something to the guards, because they were nowhere in sight. All three of them stared at Ivy, and at the machine, which had begun to shoot lightning out of the helmet.  
Black Leader began to perspire, and there was blood pouring out of his nose.  
"NEVER!" She yelled, in a voice so loud that everyone's ears rang. This was followed by a string of defiant negatives: "NO WAY! UH-UH! NEVER! YOU CAN'T MAKE ME! NO WAY! NOT A CHANCE! NO! NO!"  
The rest of the guys had come to see what the commotion was, and they stared, open mouthed, in the doorway. What was going on?  
"TELL ME, YOU STUBBORN BITCH! OR YOU BOTH ARE GOING TO REGRET IT!"  
The Messenger began to make popping noises, and sparks flew out of it. Ivy was in agony, but she refused to show it. She needed to make this stop. She gathered up all the strength she had, resisting the Messenger more than she had ever resisted anything her entire life.  
"JUST GIVE UP! BEND, YOU STUBBORN CHILD!"  
"NO WAY!" Ivy shrieked at the top of her lungs, her hands clenched into fists, summoning all the energy that she had.  
There was a sudden explosion, and The Messenger was completely hidden by the orange sparks that were showering out of it.  
" _Never….no…no way…never!"_  
The sparks died down, and soon the Messenger was nothing but a smoldering lump of metal. Black Leader was nowhere to be found.


	9. Chapter 9

Ivy herself was lying on the floor, still mumbling soft protests.  
" _No…never…no…noooo…_ "  
Tom went over and picked Ivy up. She lay limp in his arms, and he could hear her still mumbling. Edd and Matt unbound Tord, using some paper clips. Tord was still stunned at what he had seen. Ivy was braver than he was. Tord would have given in to the Messenger right away. The pain at the beginning was excruciating enough. What did it feel like towards the end? He couldn't imagine. He took her from Tom, holding her close to him gently.  
"What's wrong with her?"  
"Those bruises…what happened to her?!"  
"What happened? What was all that?"  
"Guys, there's no time to explain. We should probably go. Ivy, it's okay. You can stop now."  
" _No…I won't…never…_ "  
"Shh...Enough, now, _min tapre lille soldat_. You've done it. It's broken. You can stop." He cooed to her, before planting a kiss on her head.  
She stopped, seemingly only just realizing her surroundings. "Tord?" She squeaked, her thin voice cracked and weary.  
"Yes, it's me. Let's get you out of those things. Edd, the paper clip, please!"  
"No, no need." Ivy mumbled, slipping her little hands and feet out of the cuffs. They all stared at her in disbelief.  
"So…you could have gotten out, any time you wanted?" Asked Tord, dumbstruck. No kid was as brave as this!  
"Yeah…it had to be done…it was hard, though…thanks for all your help, guys…bye…" She whispered, smiling wearily. She slowly lifted up her tiny, shaking, hands and placed them on his face. They were colder than the coldest ice, but Tord took no notice.  
Tord stared at her in disbelief. "You're not…dying, are you?"  
She sighed.  
"Yes, Tord, I can't hold on…it hurts so bad…J-just carry on with your life. Be happy. Be with your friends. Fulfill your dreams of world peace. Let me die, I'll be with my mommy. Don't forget about me….you helped me, Tord. You cared about me. If I lived, I'd be nothing but a disappointment. Honest. But thank you. You've all done a lot…" She leaned against Tord's chest, the energy visibly draining from her. Her bloody eyelids had begun to close, but she attempted to keep them open.  
Tord took a syringe of blue liquid from his pocket. He held it out of Ivy's sight, and told her:  
"No. Thank you! You helped me. You helped everyone! You got rid of both the man and the machine that were destroying my mind and going to take over the world."  
He took her arm and slowly began to inject the substance into the vein in her elbow. She didn't react to this, to everyone's amazement. Tord continued,  
"I swear, Ivy, I might have killed zombies, I might have joined the army, I even became Red Leader! But you're incredibly brave. Braver than any little kid I've ever known. Braver than any _person_ I've ever known. I like that."  
"What's that?" Ivy asked as Tord slid the needle out of her inner elbow.  
"Just something I invented. It'll help you get better faster."  
"Right…" Ivy told him, sarcasm in her weak voice. She felt like she was going to pass out, but still tried to keep her eyes open, just for a few moments more. She wanted to remember Tord's face before she let go. Tears pricked her eyes as she clung to his neck, struggling to keep her eyes open.  
"Don't leave me," She pleaded him, the tears finally spilling over her cheeks. It was the most heartbreaking thing any of them had ever seen.  
"I won't leave you. Just go to sleep, everything's gonna be just fine…" He rocked her gently in his arms. He held her closer to him and began to sing softly to her:  
" _Fate has been cruel and order unkind  
How can he have hurt you this way?  
The blame was my own; the punishment, yours  
The harmony's silent today_  
 _But into the stillness I'll bring you a song  
And I will your company keep  
Till your tired eyes and my lullabies  
Have carried you softly to sleep_  
 _Carry the peace and the coolness of night  
And carry my sorrow in kind  
Ivy, you're loved so much more than you know  
May troubles be far from your mind  
And forgive me for being so blind_  
 _May all your dreams be sweet tonight  
Safe upon your bed of moonlight  
And know not of sadness, pain, or care  
And when I dream, I'll fly away and meet you there  
Sleep...sleep…sleep…._"  
Her eyes began to close, and she became limp in his arms. "Just go to sleep, kid. You'll feel better when you wake up." Tord told her, as her eyes finally closed. Tord handed her gently to Edd. "Hold her a moment. I need to make a call, I think she needs more help."  
He phoned Paul, who was not only a bodyguard, but a surgeon too. He and Patryk met them at Tord's house. Paul and Tord took Ivy to the guest room and tended to her, while the other four waited in the library.  
Paul poked at all the bruises and cuts, and he frowned. "Bastard…." He whispered.  
"What's wrong?" Tord asked nervously.  
"He broke her arm and her ankle, along with fracturing two ribs and breaking three of her fingers. Your medicine ought to take care of most of it, leave the rest to me."  
Tord felt tears spill over onto his cheeks, but he didn't care. He had more to care about than looking tough. "That poor thing…poor Ivy…but she was so brave, Paul, she was so brave. She stopped it, and it took all her power, but she kept going…"  
Tord stayed in the room as Paul tended to her injuries, tears pricking his eyes the entire time as he stroked her forehead. When everything was done, Tord took a square-shaped capsule out of a nearby drawer and threw it. Soon, it morphed into a crib, complete with pillows and blankets.  
Tord gently lowered her into the crib, kissing her forehead as he tucked the blankets around her. She looked littler and more vulnerable than ever now, in her crib, sleeping so soundly and so innocently. It made Tord feel a bit sad, knowing the truth about what she had been through.  
"Good night…sweet dreams, _soldat_." He whispered to her softly, his voice laced with sadness as he smoothed back some of her blonde hair  
"Just let her sleep, Tord. She'll be fine…" Paul tried to smile, though in reality this was the saddest thing he had ever seen. He had never had to tend to so many injuries on such a little kid.  
The guys were still in the library, talking about what had just happened.  
"Oh, hey, Tord…is she okay?" Asked Edd.  
"She'll be perfectly all right. She's still sleeping," He told them. He noticed the backpack, which had been left on a nearby chair, and unzipped it. "She's got to have some clues about her family in here somewhere."  
Matt sighed. "Her Mom's dead. She doesn't know where her dad is, and she thinks that he doesn't want her." He looked sad.  
Tord was disturbed by this, but tried to push the though from his mind. They couldn't know yet. "Maybe I know her dad somehow, he could be in the Red Army."  
Tord unzipped the biggest pocket. He pulled out a couple of books, an Anna doll and an Elsa doll, a tattered stuffed rabbit, a few notebooks scribbled with poetry and math problems, and….wait. What was that in the zip pocket?  
He unzipped it quickly and found a crumpled piece of paper, along with what he'd felt—a small globe shaped pendant with a heart-shaped crystal on it. He knew that pendant. He was the one who made it, and he was the one who had given it to the woman he loved.  
Everything made so much sense now. Those big grey eyes. He knew where he had seen them. He couldn't see how he didn't figure it out earlier. His heart pounded inside him as he realized that he saw them in the mirror, every morning when he woke up.  
"Tord? You okay?"  
"I'm Ivy's father," He whispered.


	10. Chapter 10

The guys all looked shocked.  
"Congrats, man!"  
"You two did seem like an awful good fit, come to think of it…"  
He got up and went to Ivy's room, with the guys following him.  
There was Ivy, asleep and completely oblivious to the fact that her father was right here, and that he really did want her. He had felt empty for a long time now, wondering about her and dreaming that she was alive. And here she was.  
He gently lifted her out and sat in an armchair, placing her in his lap and hugging her gingerly, careful not to hurt her. He still couldn't quite believe that she was his…if she really was, then she was the best thing that had ever happened to him, he thought, twirling one of her blonde locks around his finger gently. Tears fell down his cheeks onto her hair, but they were no longer tears of sadness. He had no reason to be sad now.  
The other three watched this from the doorway, their hearts warmed by how happy Tord seemed and the fact that Ivy had finally found her father. Tord was the best kind of father for someone like her, and she was the perfect daughter.  
Eventually, Tord fell asleep hugging the little girl, and Edd picked up a blanket from the crib and wrapped it around them both, before they all left.  
The guys all looked shocked.  
"Congrats, man!"  
"You two did seem like an awful good fit, come to think of it…"  
He got up and went to Ivy's room, with the guys following him.  
There was Ivy, asleep and completely oblivious to the fact that her father was right here, and that he really did want her. He had felt empty for a long time now, wondering about her and dreaming that she was alive. And here she was.  
He gently lifted her out and sat in an armchair, placing her in his lap and hugging her gingerly, careful not to hurt her. He still couldn't quite believe that she was his…if she really was, then she was the best thing that had ever happened to him, he thought, twirling one of her blonde locks around his finger gently. Tears fell down his cheeks onto her hair, but they were no longer tears of sadness. He had no reason to be sad now.  
The other three watched this from the doorway, their hearts warmed by how happy Tord seemed and the fact that Ivy had finally found her father. Tord was the best kind of father for someone like her, and she was the perfect daughter.  
Eventually, Tord fell asleep hugging the little girl, and Edd picked up a blanket from the crib and wrapped it around them both, before they all left.


	11. Chapter 11

The next morning, when Ivy woke up, she was surrounded by bars. She began to whimper, but was interrupted by a gentle voice:  
"Hey, Ivy, no, no! Don't worry."  
A pair of strong arms lifted her out and she was both relived and confused to see Red Leader smiling at her while he lifted her into his lap.  
"You were so brave, Ivy. I still can't believe it." He told her, smoothing back her spiky blonde fringe as her lip began to tremble with worry.  
"Thank you, sir, but what happened? Why can't I move? Why am I here? What's going on?"  
His face fell, and he sighed sadly. "He hurt you…you have a few broken bones. I don't think you should walk for about a day, which will be fine, since I can carry you. I have a surprise for you, by the way."  
He pulled out the necklace from his pocket, and Ivy's eyes widened. "My mommy's necklace," She breathed, her eyes wide. "But why'd you have it? It's mine,"  
"I'll get to that, my darling, just a minute. Your mother was a wonderful woman, and I can see a lot of her in you. She didn't notice what I left inside, though." He pressed the crystal, and it unfolded gently, making a small whirring noise as it did so. Inside, engraved on the metal, was a poem:  
 _I love you my darling, my life, and my sweet_  
 _No day was much better than the day we did meet._  
At the bottom of this was the Red Leader insignia. Ivy put two and two together.  
"Daddy?" She squeaked, sounding like she was about to cry. Her eyes widened.  
"Yes, Ivy, I'm here, and I'm sorry I wasn't there earlier."  
"It's okay, I understand." She told him, hugging him as well as she could with her cast. He returned the gesture, enveloping her little body in his long arms. "I love you, Daddy,"  
Tord's heart melted. Those four words were something he had thought he would never hear, yet here was his darling baby girl, saying them to him right that minute.  
"I love you too, Ivy, and I always will, no matter what."  
Father and daughter hugged each other for a while, not saying anything, until Tord finally said,  
"All right, let's get some breakfast, _Mon tapre lille soldat._ You must be starving,"  
"Yeah, now that you mention it…" She murmured, only then realizing.  
He chuckled. "Come on, darling, there's bacon and eggs downstairs, and I think Matt made cinnamon rolls."  
He carried his daughter downstairs to see the rest of the guys already eating. As soon as they saw the duo, they grinned and started to fawn.  
"You're so cute together! How are your booboos, you brave warrior?" Matt pinched Ivy's cheeks, and she frowned and drew back.  
"Come on, you two, we saved you places!"  
"Did Tord tell you yet?"  
"That he's my daddy? Yeah," Ivy grinned. "I couldn't have asked for anyone better," She hugged and nuzzled him, and everyone awed.  
Happy tears formed in Tord's eyes as he hugged her in return. "Thanks, princess. I can say the same for you," He kissed her forehead, and she giggled.  
He set her into a chair and Edd slid a plate of bacon and eggs in front of her, along with two cinnamon rolls. "Thanks." She told him as she picked up her fork with some difficulty. Tord noticed her hands were shaking as she speared her eggs. She drew it slowly and shakily up to her mouth, but the fork slipped from her injured hand and landed on the table with a loud clang. Ivy grimaced at the loud noise and covered her ears, squeezing her eyes shut.  
"Ivy, it's okay! Here," Tord picked up her fork and held it to her lips. She understood immediately and allowed him to feed her eggs.  
"Thanks. I was already having a hard time," She showed him her bandaged hands.  
"I knew that, soldier. But don't worry." He told her, brushing her cheek with his thumb.  
"Let's have some music!" Edd pressed a button on a nearby radio which he had only just noticed.  
To Tord's irritation, the song 'Sunshine, Lollipops' was playing. He quickly changed the station.  
"Daddy? Who sings that song?" Asked Ivy.  
Tord honestly didn't know, and he didn't care. He looked to Edd for help.  
"Lesley Gore, I think her name was?" Edd shrugged.  
"She's really bad at singing. She doesn't have any friends, does she?" Said Ivy casually.  
This caused an eruption of laughter throughout the room, and, to Ivy's surprise, Tord picked her up and lifted her into the air laughingly.  
"Ivy, I love you so much! And I think you and I will make a great team!"


End file.
